


Moomintroll in Autumn

by hhertzof



Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, Winnie-the-Pooh - A. A. Milne
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Messing about in Boats, Not All Who Wander Are Lost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-24
Updated: 2012-12-23
Packaged: 2017-11-22 05:04:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/606115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hhertzof/pseuds/hhertzof
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Snufkin and Moomintroll embark on a journey together and meet some new friends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In Which Autumn Descends on Moominvalley and Snufkin and Moomintroll Decide to Go A-Wandering

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nonesane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nonesane/gifts).



Autumn was coming as autumn always did. Moomintroll could smell it in the scent of leaves changing and feel it in the fingers of chilly winter air starting to find its way in to Moominvalley. He could also see it whenever he looked at Snufkin.

Snufkin always got restless this time of year. His eyes would wander towards the mountain or the sea, his feet would start a-tapping or move restlessly and the music that came from his harmonica would sound like it was trapped and trying to get free. Moomin knew that it wasn't long before Snufkin's longings to wander would drive him off on his winter travels.

Now, this wasn't a bad thing. Snufkin always brought back marvellous stories of the things he'd seen and the people he met, and he never forgot to bring presents for Moomintroll either, but winter had had crept in early this year and so had Snufkin's wanderlust.

"You can't go just yet. It's months till we hibernate," Moomintroll protested. "Think of all the fun we could have - jumping in leaf piles and exploring that valley over the next hill which we always say we'll do in spring but then the next thing you know it's autumn and we're getting ready for our winter nap with it still unexplored. Stay just another week."

Snufkin looked at Moomintroll sadly. "I'd like to stay, I really would, but when the light shifts just so, I feel other places calling me and I start missing the friends I've made along the way and the new friends I haven't met yet."

"Then let me go with you." Moomintroll tried to look fierce, but that's very hard when you're a Moomin. Moominmamma managed it sometimes, though I don't know how she did it. "A short trip. Up a small mountain and back before the first snowfall. You can leave again after I'm asleep."

"If we did that," Snufkin said, "Perhaps not a mountain. The snows start early up there and we might get stuck. Let's take a boat, just you and me. There are several rivers I've been meaning to explore. You go ask Moominmamma for provisions, and I'll get the boat ready."

You might think Snufkin thought that Moominmamma would say no, as mammas sometimes did or had hoped to slip away on his own while Moomintroll was distracted but you'd be wrong. He'd tramped up and down long roads on his own many times and having Moomintroll along would be something new. He thought of all the wonders he could show Moomintroll along the way and how much fun it would be to watch someone else see these things for the very first time. It would be almost as good as seeing it for the first time himself.

Soon, Moomintroll was back with a huge picnic basket full of food. It would have been awkward to carry, had they been going by foot, but it was much welcomed in a boat. "I checked with the others, but they were all busy. It's just you and me."

Snufkin was relieved to hear this. He hadn't even thought of Moomintroll inviting the others, though of course he would have. Moomintroll was like that. The bags and the basket were packed in the boat. It was a new boat, one they had built last spring and they'd spent the summer on the water. Her name was the Rambler and she had proven both reliable and seaworthy. This would be the longest trip they had taken in her.


	2. In Which Their Journey Lands Our Travellers in an Unexpected Place and a Party Is Thrown to Welcome Them

The first few days were uneventful. The winds were good and pushed them in the direction they wanted to go. The skies were clear and the weather was lovely, not quite cold but with that little nip in the air that says that winter on its way. Some nights they didn't even bother to camp on land but lay in the boat watching the stars go by before they were lulled to sleep by the waves.

That changed on the fourth day. The winds grew stronger and clouds started piling up behind them. It was all they could do to keep the tiller straight . Then the rains came, pouring down on them until they were cold and wet and they couldn't even see the shore to land. All they could do was huddle in the cabin of the boat until it stopped, hoping the boat wouldn't be crushed on the rocks. Two days and nights it rained and Moomintroll worried that it would never end.

"All storms end in time," Snufkin said, full of wisdom he'd acquired on the road. "Look through the porthole. See how the sky is getting lighter. The winds' been dying down for a while. It might be time to go out and check for damage. He pushed open the door, warily, but the cabin had proved watertight, and they hadn't sunk yet.

"Oh, oh, look at the mast," Moomintroll said, pointing. It had snapped off about halfway down and the broken bit was long gone.

Snufkin was glad he'd thought to take down the sails when the wind had first started blowing hard. The rest of the boat seemed to be fine but they could check it when they landed. She wasn't taking in water, which was the important part.

The winds had pushed them up a river, and then up a tributary. They found themselves in a wooded area, perfect for constructing a new mast. "Let's camp here," Moomintroll said. He'd had enough of the water for a while. "We can check over the boat and build a new mast and explore the woods."

He never knew what Snufkin might have replied, because at that moment an orange and black striped _thing_ bounced out of the woods and on to Moomintroll.

Moomintroll had done battle before and struck out with a will but the thing was fast and bouncy and it took a few tries before he managed to get a proper hit on it's nose.

"Hey. What did you do that for?" the thing asked, rubbing its nose. "Here I was saying hello, stranger, all friendly like and you hit me on the nose."

"Maybe you shouldn't bounce at people who don't know you," Moomintroll said, a little out of sorts.

The thing looked abashed. "People tell me that but I always forget. I'm Tigger. Who are you?"

"I'm Moomintroll and this is Snufkin," Moomintroll said, noticing that Snufkin had managed to tie up the boat while he was tussling with Tigger.

"We're travellers who will be stranded here for a little while," Snufkin added. "May we camp here while we fix our boat?"

"I don't see why not. Welcome to the Hundred Acre Woods," Tigger said. "I've never been in a boat."

He looked like he was ready to jump in right that very minute, so Snufkin said hurriedly, "It was damaged in the storm. It needs to be fixed first. Then I'll take you on a trip."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Moomintroll wasn't sure this was wise, but Snufkin had already promised, so that was that. "We're out of food," he said instead. They were - while they'd been cramped in the cabin they'd eaten every scrap of food that was in the basket, down to the last crumb. "Is there some place we can get something to eat?"

"I'll take you to Kanga's. She always feeds me. And you'll get to meet my best buddy Roo," Tigger took off with an energetic leap and bounced away out of sight.

"He could have waited," Moomintroll said, as they set off in the direction they thought Tigger had gone.

"Some people don't," Snufkin mused. "But he'll be back to see what happened to us."

And Snufkin was right. As they walked down the path, they heard a crashing in the bushes and then Tigger leapt out in front of them again. "Where did you go? Follow me. The path is through here." He hopped back into the bushes and they followed. There was indeed a path, long and meandering with interesting things to look at on either side. It was the sort of path both Snufkin and Moomintroll liked best, even if Tigger went too fast for them to investigate properly. They gave each other looks that promised they would come back and explore.

Kanga was warm and mothery and reminded Moomintroll of Moominmamma. She didn't have pancakes, but Moomintroll was able to find what he needed and show her how to make them. He didn't even know he'd known how to make pancakes, but he must have watched Moominmamma stir them up often enough. They had them with orange marmalade, which wasn't quite as good as raspberry jam, but it was different and interesting because of that.

"We should throw a party to welcome you," Roo said. "Christopher Robin's away. At school." This was clearly a very important place. "But I bet Pooh and Piglet and Owl and Rabbit will help."

Moomintroll loved parties, especially ones thrown in his honour so he happily buried himself into the preparations alongside Snufkin and their new friends. There was Pooh who was a sort of poet and Piglet and wise old Owl. Eeyore reminded him of The Muskrat, lying down by the river and complaining about everything. He'd always liked the Muskrat and he liked Eeyore too. Rabbit started ordering everyone around and fussing like a Hemulen, which reminded Moomintroll of home, but in a good way. 

The party was lovely. Not quite as crowded as parties back in Moominvalley, but Snufkin lit a fire and they toasted haycorns and marshmallows (and tried to toast thistles but that didn't end well) and laughed and talked and sang.

Pooh even made up a special hum for the occasion.

> Moomintroll came from far away  
> With his dear friend, Snufkin  
> There is a party here, today  
> To celebrate the storm win
> 
> The storm was wild, dark and cold  
> But now the danger's past  
> And we cheer for Moomintroll and Snufkin  
> Safe with us at last
> 
> Sometimes new friends are the best  
> Cause they had far to go  
> But also old friends are the best  
> Who we already know.
> 
> So give a cheer (CHEER) for our new friends  
> Snufkin and Moomintroll  
> Who travelled round the river bend  
> To this lovely knoll.

Moomintroll made sure he memorised this so he could share it with Moominpappa and Moominmamma and all his friends back home. Pooh would become very famous in Moominvalley for his hums. 


	3. In Which Our Travellers Make Camp in the Hundred Acre Woods and There Is Messing About in Boats

They camped beside the river, near where Snufkin had tied up the boat, intending to set to work the very next morning. This wasn't to be.

It was one of those lovely mornings when the woods are calling you and Snufkin and Moomintroll decided over breakfast that it would be a good day to explore the wood, the boat forgotten. They spent a lovely day tramping around and exploring all the nooks and crannies. Around lunchtime, they found themselves at Pooh Bear's house and he invited them in for honey and bread. It was a sticky lunch, but yummy and Moomintroll found himself agreeing to play Poohsticks with Pooh the very next day.

The days passed. Some days Snufkin would wander off alone, leaving Moomintroll to his own devices and he'd go off and help Rabbit with his harvest, or visit Roo and Kanga for some mothering or lie in a field beside Eeyore and just watch the clouds go by. Sometimes Snufkin was in a mood for company and he and Moomintroll would climb trees or swim in the pond or go off for a ramble with Tigger and Roo. Once in a while one or the other of them would remind the other they needed fix the mast, but it felt like there was plenty of time until the snow started flying.

They'd improved upon the tent with a clever lean-to arrangement, which allowed them to invite their new friends over for pancakes and marmalade. The first time they did this, Tigger reminded them of their promise to take him in the boat, so they finally decided to rebuild the mast the very next day.

Everyone came and it was almost like a party. They found a tree that had fallen during the storm that was just the right length and Moomintroll and Pooh stripped off the bark and branches with help from Roo and Piglet while Snufkin supervised Tigger and Kanga as they helped to remove the remains of the old mast from the boat.

They'd already checked for leaks, just in case, but the boat was still water-tight and it was merely a matter of putting the new mast up which went quickly, despite Tigger being always in the way.

All their new friends wanted a ride, but the boat had been intended for groups of about this size, so they had no problem fitting everyone aboard. Moomintroll hoisted the sail and made sure the wind was right (which it was) and Snuffkin took the tiller and they were off.

How different it was to see the Hundred Acre Wood from the water! Roo and Piglet ran from one side to the other pointing out points of interest. Tigger started to do the same, but it shook the boat and made Rabbit nervous, so Kanga made him stop. Instead he sat by Snufkin in the stern and trailed his tail in the water.

Even Eeyore enjoyed the trip. "Peaceful, it is, standing here and watching the world go by. I could get used to this."

It was a perfect day for it. The wind was light and the river meandered, so their trip was slow and peaceful. They wove through the grove, past the six pine trees and Rabbits house. Roo pointed out Christopher Robin's house, but they still hadn't met him and knew he wouldn't be back before the snow fell. They stopped at a bank just before some big stones and rocks and had a lovely picnic lunch under the trees. Pancakes with marmalade, honey and bread and all their favourite foods. Moomintroll was starting to like marmalade almost as much as raspberry jam, which was saying something.

They had to row back but nobody minded, though Rabbit complained when Tigger rowed too energetically and splashed him with water.

Pooh made up a new hum then and there.

>   
> We row, we row, past homes and trees  
> Past ferns and rocks and ants and bees  
> The bees go buzz, they don't care  
> To see us passing over there.
> 
> The bees go buzz, their honey's sweet  
> and I would like some to eat  
> But we row past, and row we must  
> Past trees and stones and fields and dust
> 
> We row and row and row again  
> And soon we will reach the end  
> And come to shore again, once more  
> And we will land by Snufkin's door
> 
> We'll come to shore, then home we'll go  
> And dream of boating soft and slow  
> Lovely dreams of boats and sea  
> There's the tents, and home we see.
> 
> Lovely dreams, thanks Moomintroll  
> And Snufkin too, for boats and all  
> Now we say good-bye, good night  
> Homeward bound, to sleep tonight.

Halfway through the first verse, Snufkin handed the tiller to Kanga and pulled out his harmonica. The music told of the river, the rowers' steady strokes and going home after a long, lovely day in Autumn, half rowing beat, half lullaby and whenever Moonintroll heard it again he was reminded of this day and the company and the river.

The song ended and they piled on to the river bank, thanking Snufkin and Moomintroll for a wonderful day, then heading off through the trees in their separate directions. Moomintroll sat and watched them wander out of sight and smiled as he thought about the lovely time they had.


	4. In Which the Cold Descends on the Hundred Acre Wood and Our Travellers Thoughts Turn Towards Home

Even with the Rambler fixed, Moomintroll and Snufkin weren't in a hurry to move on. There were still so many new things to try.

There was the day that Pooh Bear came over with balloons and showed Moomintroll how, if you blew them up, you could drift up almost as high as the tree tops. It was lovely up there, quieter than the river and they could see their friends below looking as small as toys. It was only then that Pooh remembered that the last time, Christopher Robin had had to shoot him down with his pop gun.

"We don't have a pop gun," Moomintroll said sadly. Suddenly the ground looked very far away.

"Christopher Robin does." Pooh looked cheerful until he remembered. "He's at school." 

Thankfully, right about then, a kind wind blew them right into the branches of a tree. The two of left their balloons up in the tree, where they looked rather worse for wear, and climbed down slowly. It was one of the better climbing trees, with well spaced branches, so neither of them had any trouble getting down.

They searched for buried treasure by the river bank, caves in the woods and honey in the old oak tree. Moomintroll decided he didn't like bee stings. Snufkin drew a map showing where everyone lived and all the important places and gave it to Piglet, who hung it up in his house in a place of honour.

Neither Moomintroll nor Snufkin noticed as the last leaves fell from the trees and the air grew cold and nipped at their heels. Thin sheets of ice started to coat the pond each night, but no one saw for it melted when the sun came out.

One cold, grey day, they decided to play Poohsticks again. Tigger was supposed to be keeping score but he kept forgetting because he was too busy bouncing from one side to the other to see what had happened to the sticks. Piglet might have been winning, or perhaps Eeyore.

Moomintroll absently batted away a snowflake, since he was determined to win this round. He thought he'd figured out the perfect strategy. 

Roo, however, wasn't so oblivious. "It's snowing." He did a little dance in his excitement.

Moomintroll dropped his stick any which way, the game forgotten. "It's snowing!" he exclaimed to Snufkin, unhappily. "I promised Moominmamma I'd be home by the first snowfall!"

"We'll leave tomorrow," Snufkin said. "It might not have snowed in Moominvalley yet." He didn't believe this, but it didn't hurt to be reassuring. He hadn't meant to stay so long, but these things happened.

"Presents!" Moomintroll exclaimed. "We'll need presents too."

"Of course you do," Roo said. "We'll all help you find some today."

And they did. Kanga gave Moomintroll several jars of marmalade for Moominmamma, For Moominpappa, Eeyore helped Moomintroll pick out several of the very best of the Hundred Acre Wood pine cones which were quite unlike the ones found in Moominvalley. He gathered up a set of Poohsticks for each of his friends so he could teach them how to play and all sorts of presents for the rest of the people he knew. He even got Rabbit to give him some seeds for the Hemulen.

All these things were packed into the boat along with their tents and the provisions that Kanga packed up for them. The next day Moomintroll and Snufkin waved good-bye to their new friends and promised to visit again someday.


	5. In Which the Rambler Returns to Moominvalley and Moomintroll Settles Down for a Long Winter's Nap

They had to row down the tributary towards the river, but then they caught a good wind that stayed steady for days. Snufkin and Moomintroll agreed that the return trip under blue skies and fair winds was much more pleasant, if slower.

Snufkin manned the tiller to keep the boat on course, and Moomintroll, who didn't have much to do, found himself craving the taste of pine needles and his own warm bed.

The temperatures were dropping, especially at night, so they were both happy when Moominvalley came back into view. On the day they landed at the dock, the cloudy skies were the colour of lead and a light snow had begun to fall. Snufkin helped Moomintroll carry all his presents up to his house.

The lamps were all off and when Moomintroll turned them on, he found a note from Moominmamma on the table on top of a pile of pine needles.

> Dearest Moomintroll,  
> We waited up through the first snow and the second, but we all grew very sleepy and one by one we ate our pine needles and found our winter beds. I'm sure you had all sorts of marvellous adventures on your journey and we look forward to hearing about them in the spring. Don't feel sad that you were late getting home. Some trips are like that.  
> Your Most Beloved Moominmamma

Moomintroll read the letter several times both aloud and to himself before he turned to Snufkin. "You should eat before you go. I'll make pancakes."

They had pancakes and raspberry jam, which Moomintroll found he liked just as much as marmalade. "It's like travelling," he said. "It's nice to go out into the wide world and meet new people and see new things, but it's also nice to be home again with your own bed and the people that you love."

Snufkin smiled at this. "And that is why I always come back to Moominvalley." He helped Moomintroll wash the dishes and put them away.

"Will you stay," Moomintroll asked, suddenly uncertain. "Just till I fall asleep. " He'd already started nibbling on his pine needles.

"Of course," Snufkin said. "I'll sit right outside your window and play on my harmonica."

"Thank you," Moomintroll said, through a mouthful of pine needles. "Have wonderful adventures this winter and come back and tell me about them."

"I will." Snufkin adjusted his hat, picked up his pack and headed out the door leaving Moomintroll alone.

Moomintroll finished off his pine needles. He was more than a little sleepy by now, but he had one last thing to do. He stacked the jars of marmalade on the table and sat down and wrote a note. He was so late getting to bed, he was afraid he might oversleep in the spring.

> Dearest Moominmamma and best of Moominpappas,  
> I had a grand time adventuring with Snufkin out in the wild world. We met all sorts of wonderful new friends and I'll tell you all about them when I wake up. The marmalade was given to me by one of my new friends for Moominmamma. If I'm not awake when you get up, try it. It's almost as good as raspberry jam on pancakes.
> 
> I'm going to sleep now but know I'm still your Moomintroll.

To be honest, the last few words were shaky and Moomintroll's eyelids were feeling heavy and hard to keep open. He tucked the note under the marmalade where Moominmamma would see it and then he crawled into his own bed and snuggled down. Through the window he could hear Snufkin keeping his promise with music that spoke of a long, lovely day in Autumn, half rowing beat, half lullaby and he closed his eyes to dream of the wonderful time they'd spent in the Hundred Acre Wood.

> Lovely dreams, thanks Moomintroll  
> And Snufkin too, for boats and all  
> Now we say good-bye, good night  
> Homeward bound, to sleep tonight.


End file.
